Monday, April 4, 2011

Lunch and Diner Menus 1936

Discovered menus for lunch and dinner served to residents of Hotel-Bungalow des Ruines on the 25 February 1936. The hotel itself opened it door for the first time in the early 1930’s. Located in the heart of Siem Reap town with large lust garden adjacent to the Royal Palace.

Now this hotel still maintain it reputation as the most luxurious hotel that offers personalized pampering services for visitors of Ancient Angkor, under the luxury brand ‘Fairmont-Raffles Hotels and Resorts’ – Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor!

Looking into the menus being served at that time (1936), look very simple, classic and elegant.The sequence of the menu and service might appearance through the simplicity and the amount of the prices.

Special filtered coffee (café filter special) is for $0.30, while the breakfast also served in 3 different prices

Petite dejeuner (early breakfast) is for $0.40

Breakfast is for $1.00

Breakfast avec coffee ou the is for $1.20

Lunch price is for $1.50 and served between 11.00 o’clock – 12.00 o’clock only

Diner menu is a little bit more expensive $1.80 and served only for 1 hour between 19.00 o’clock – 20.00 o’clock.

Was absolutely forbidden to bring any bring any liquid to the hotel in that time or the hotel will apply corkage charge per bottle, for mineral water is $0.50 and wine and champagne is $1.00 and spirit will be charge amount of $5.00

And also mentioned the person in charge for the hotel that time is A. Messner.

From the menu I also notice that pre-printed paper is used and the ‘Chef’s Special Lunch and Diner’ typed with type writer and might they were loosing the number ‘1’ button, that why they used an capital ‘I’ instead. Numbering in front of the dishes is to noted that number of the courses or variety of the food that served.

Menu du Dejeuner du 25 Fevrier 1936

1.Hors-d’ouvre varie – Variety of cold starters

2.Coq au vin de Bourgogne – Stewed chicken in red Bourgogne wine

3.Macaroni au gratin – Gratinated macaroni

4.Rumpspteak – Rump steak

5.Pomme nouvelles – New potatoes/baby potatoes

6.Corbeille de fruits – Fruit basket

Analyzes from the lunch menu above:

a.This menu either 3 courses or 4 courses

b.The chicken dish, macaroni, rumpsteak and potatoes, might served together or separate course

c.Typing error on the ‘Rumspsteak’9this is cannot change since they use type writer.

d.‘Au gratin’ means the salamander or oven with top burner was available on that time.

e.Rumpsteak is big pieces of mead ‘ either they cooked in a big piece or grilled. In this case grilled or oven presented in that time.

f.The last course is simple ‘ whole fruit in the basket’ might to make easier and faster to served.

Menu du Diner du 25 Fevrier 1936

1.Cream de volaille – Cream of chicken soup

2.Rissole aux foie gras – Foie gras rissole

3.Laitues demi-glace – Lettuce served with demi glace

4.Marcassin a la broche – Slow roasted baby wild boar

5.Salad du jardine – Garden salad

6.Crème renversee a la vanilla – Cream caramel flavored with vanilla

7.Corbeille de fruits – Fresh fruit basket

Analyzes for the diner menu above:

a.The menu is 5-6 courses menu

b.Started with soup

c.Foie gras served in that time; this is might use local duck liver because of the transportation quiet distant from Europe or use goose liver from the tin.

d.Lettuce is appeared in that time, might be from Dalat (Vietnam)

e.Wild boar appeared on the menu – might be easy to find wild boar or other game due to the jungle was still natural

f.Garden salad served but there was no dressing mentioned or maybe served as vegetables instead, consumed together with the roasted wild boar

g.The famous cream caramel was on the menu – oven used in that time

h.Vanilla appeared in Siem Reap 1936

i.I think the refrigerator has appeared in that time to keep the food cold like lettuce, salad, cream caramel, cream or dairy products

j.Served fresh fruit as additional to re-fresh at last

k.Both lunch and diner menu have no coffee or tea choices – maybe coffee or tea is expensive or nobody drink coffee or tea after their meals